A memory card adaptor (adaptor card) is a device that includes a adaptor body having outer dimensions and contact pads that are identical with those of a relatively large “host” memory card, and a passive connection structure for electrically connecting the contact pads of a smaller memory card with the “host” contact pads of the adaptor card, thereby facilitating possible communications between the smaller memory card and a host system by way of a socket build for the larger “host” memory card.
A conventional adaptor card manufacturing process involves mounting a lead frame connector between top and bottom housing portions that are then fused, e.g., by ultrasonic welding. The lead frame connector has one end adapted to the desire pin counts and dimensions of the smaller memory card device (e.g., a microSD card or miniSD card), and the other output end includes contact pads and dimensions associated with the larger “host” memory card (e.g., a Secure Digital (SD) card). An optional switch button and optional notch retaining pin are separately placed between the top and bottom housing pieces, and then ultrasonic welding is then used to fuse the two housing pieces together, thereby securing the switch button and notch retaining pin into respective slots and completing the adaptor card.
The conventional adaptor card production method produces adaptor cards that are not reliable when subjected to rough handling and shock impact, such as when they are accidentally stepped on or dropped from a high point. The low quality assembled housing pieces are often delaminated along the ultrasonic weld seam by such rough handling, and sometimes the side surface of the housing structure can become cracked.
What is needed is a method for producing an adaptor card (e.g., a microSD-to-SD adaptor card) that avoids the problems described above. What is also needed is a reliable and robust microSD-to-SD adaptor card produced by this method.